So, with Barbra Week in full swing, here at ShulmanSays; in anticipation of her upcoming BARBRA: The Music, The Mem’ries, The Magic tour – which lands on the Strip, at the T-Mobile Arena, on Saturday, August 6th – here’s a trio of La Streisand’s live performances that I find particularly moving.  I’m sure you’ll agree.

First, is a song by Jule Styne, considered by many to be Streisand’s signature.  It’s “People,” from Funny Girl (both the musical and the film).  Styne and lyricist Bob Merrill wrote “People” in just under a half-hour, in Palm Beach, one night in 1962.  A couple of years later, in 1964, upon the release of Funny Girl: Original Broadway Cast Recording, the single would become Streisand’s first Top 40 hit.  Here she is, performing at her ranch in Malibu, on September 6, 1986.  The private concert was broadcast on HBO, on December 27th of the same year; and would later be immortalized as Barbra Streisand: One Voice.

Next is a cover of the pop standard “If You Go Away” which was adapted into English, in 1966 by Rod McKuen; from the 1959 French song, “Ne Me Quitte Pas,” by Jacques Brel.  I’ve always loved this song, whether sung by Nina Simone, Dame Shirley Bassey, or Alison Moyet; but when she performed the song at her one-night-only performance at New York’s Village Vanguard, in 2009, Streisand made it her own.  The intimate venue was so filled to the rafters with invited guests, that she joked “It’s hard to have stage fright when there’s hardly any stage!” 

Streisand received her second Academy Award for composing “Evergreen.”  With lyrics by Paul Williams, the song (the Love Theme for the 1976 remake of A Star is Born) also won a Golden Globe* (Best Original Song) and a Grammy (Song of the Year); and went on to become Streisand’s second Number One single.  Here, singing “Evergreen,” accompanied by talented trumpeter Chris Botti, is Barbra Streisand, from her 2012 Back to Brooklyn tour.

Barbra: The Music, The Mem’ries, The Magic
T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas
Saturday, August 6th
Click HERE for info and tickets

Get into it!
#Barbra

[Editor’s Note: Not for nothing, but Streisand won two awards at the 1977 Golden Globes.  In addition to Best Original Song, for “Evergreen;” she won Best Actress – Musical or Comedy, for her role in A Star is Born.]